The Whosoevers

She is young and she is ready to throw it all away. She is tired of the dysfunction and heartache that has followed her all her young life. Drugs no longer appease her and love has always eluded her. In her desperation she quietly makes plans to take her own life the very next day. Her grandmother reads her despair and begs her to attend church that evening but church is the last place she wants to be. “All those happy people don’t have any problems,” she tells her. “They think they know all the answers and they don’t know anything. They don’t know anything about me or my life and nobody is like me there.” Her grandmother’s persistence pays off, however, and reluctantly the girl agrees to go. Little did Lacey Mosley know that she had a divine appointment that night and that God would meet her right at her need. Lacey was one of the fortunate ones but what about those youths who refuse to enter the doors of their local sanctuary because they believe that “nobody is like me there?” Who will minister to those the traditional church cannot reach because they either disdain organized religion or have been burned or judged by it? Who can relate to those who have fallen so deep into the cracks of sin that they deem the church incapable of understanding them? To whom will this lost generation give the right to speak to their circumstance? Modern times are rising up a generation of Christian leaders who are meeting these young people where they are at. The presentation may be changing but the Word is not and the “who” that God is sending is a group of five people that call themselves The Whosoevers.

Formed in 2008, The Whosoevers are comprised of Sonny Sandoval from the popular Christian metal band P.O.D., Ryan Ries, known for his work in action sports and underground music industries, Lacey Mosley singer of Flyleaf, freestyle motocross aerialist Ronnie Faisst and Brian“Head” Welch former guitarist of the nu metal band Korn. Each of these members has a story to share about their own addictions and self destructive behavior. Their urgency is to reach the youth that are beyond the grasp of the church via concerts and personal testimonies. Their name is taken from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. To understand their ministry is to understand the struggles that brought them to where they are at. Their fame and notoriety no doubt draw their audience and their “worldly” appearance cinch their relatability but in the end it is their humble testimonies and their willingness to be transparent and accessible that strike a chord in the hearts of the youth they speak to all around the world.

Sonny Sandoval
Sonny grew up in a dysfunctional yet loving family in San Diego, CA. He did drugs and partied hard like most teenagers he knew. When his uncle became a Christian the love he had for the Lord began to influence his family. One by one they all came to accept Christ, including his own mother. Even though his mom would talk to him about God, Sonny was not ready to accept Him. When she learned that she was dying of cancer, Sonny was still not swayed. The week before her death he was constantly by her side. Doctors told Sonny that she was hanging onto life for a reason and he instantly knew that reason was him. In the hospital parking lot he cried out to God, wanting to know the Jesus his mom loved and he asked the Lord to make Himself real to him. He did just that and Sonny gave his life to Christ that day. He told his mother and soon after she passed away in peace. To deal with his grief Sonny became the front man of a metal band called P.O.D. (Payable On Death), named for our sins being paid by Jesus’s death on the cross. P.O.D. has been together 19 years and has garnered much success and acclaim spreading the message of God’s hope and love around the world. After a while, however, Sonny became embittered and disillusioned by the harsh judgment he was receiving from the church. He took a break and went home to reflect and spend time with his family. God restored him and gave him a vision for The Whosoevers. Through it he would go after and love people who would not normally listen to a message of hope. Those kids, he would soon learn, resided not only in the worldly venues but in the church themselves. For the worldly youth he had this message, “God is going to meet you where you’re at. God will clean you up, and will take away your guilt and your shame. He will forgive you if you repent of your sins and He will change your lives.” For those kids he deems at “playing church” he offers this message, “Jesus wants to have a relationship with you guys. This isn’t your mom and dad’s religion. This isn’t your pastor’s religion. This is a relationship Jesus wants to have with you guys.”

Ryan Ries
Together with Sonny, Ryan Ries cofounded The Whosoevers. Son of Raul Ries, Pastor and Evangelist of one of the largest churches in California, Ryan is a prodigal who grew up rebellious and chose the worldly path instead of following Christ. After almost two decades he amassed much success by bringing the underground skate and music scenes together, creating C1RCA Footwear, managing top skateboard teams and working in the action sport and underground music industries. His lifestyle gave him all the world had to offer: money, women and drugs. After 19 years of partying, overdosing and watching his friends die, however, Ryan was left empty. In his hotel room one night, he chose to give his life to Christ and quit the drugs, booze and lifestyle in one shot. Ryan knew he could relate to kids and the dire problems they face today. He feels God calling him to minister to youth in the darkest of places. Interestingly he believes that the traditional method of reaching kids hasn’t worked for years. He claims that he didn’t listen and neither is anyone else. “I want to go back and reach the kids that don’t know anything about Jesus,” he states, “those that are miserable and come from some crazy background-beaten as kids, drugs, whatever. Our generation is not the ‘70’s – it isn’t peace and love. We want to get screwed up and get wild and go punch stuff and kick people. I know I did.”

Lacey Mosley
Known as the singer of Flyleaf and for her huge crossover hit “All Around Me”, Lacey was born to a single mother and started doing drugs at the tender age of ten. At fourteen she was given a bass guitar where she began to hone her musical talent. At sixteen, however, her home life became volatile and her mother kicked her out and sent her to live with her grandparents. Dealing with depression, and the loss of her siblings, boyfriend and drugs brought her nearly to her end. While she contemplated committing suicide, her grandmother forced her to go to church. After the service someone came up to her with a message that changed the course of her life: “Even though you’ve never known an earthly father, He will be a better father to you than any earthly father could be.” After that revelation Lacey’s life would never be the same. She credits the pain in her early years for helping her recognize the pain in others. Through her testimony and music, she offers up that sweetness of comfort that only God could give to those who are hurting.

Ronnie Faisst
Considered the founding father of freestyle motocross, Ronnie is also part of The Metal Mulisha, the most medaled team of riders in the history of the sport. As the sport continued to grow so did Ronnie’s popularity thanks to his performances at the X Games and Gravity Games. He fell into the typical trappings of success and fame. One night, however, he watched a sermon on television that he could relate to. It was about fear, a topic Ronnie could relate to being in motocross. He soon dedicated his life to God and his profession gives him the perfect platform to talk to youths about the Lord.

Brian “Head” Welch
Reaching the pinnacle of success as the guitarist for the Grammy award winning and multi-platinum selling band Korn, Head had the world at his feet. He was a prisoner of methamphetamines and alcohol, however, and constantly dealt with depression and suicidal thoughts. His relationship with his wife Rebekah was mutually abusive and destructive. After she abandoned him and their daughter Jennea he came to the realization that he needed the Lord and had to save himself for his daughter’s sake. In 2005 he announced that he was quitting the band to commit his life to God and to raising his daughter. He wrote a best selling autobiography, “Save Me From Myself,” that serves as the perfect testimony for how God poured out His grace and granted him peace over his demons. Perhaps no other Bible verse speaks to Head more than the one that was sent to him when he was at a crossroads: Matthew 11:28-30. It is now tattooed on his neck as a reminder of God’s infinite care for him. “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Given the extremes that youths today are surrounded by, that promise of respite may be exactly the message they need to hear. For many, it will come by way of The Whosoevers, those modern day evangelists who understand their world and reach out to show them the extreme of God’s love.

For more information on The Whosoevers go to their website thewhosoevers.com.

Published in The Good News of South Florida, August 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org
http://goodnewsfl.org/dv/0911/Broward/index.html#/34/

Book Review: Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn

As I waited for the bookstore clerk to hand me a copy of the latest autobiography I was assigned to read, I was filled with trepidation and albeit a little fear. As I glanced at the cover I couldn’t help but be a bit offended. Hanging on a cross of guitars, bare chested and enshrouded with tattoos was a depiction of Reggie “Fieldy” Arvizu, the acclaimed bassist for the mega popular and successful nu metal band Korn. Flipping through Fieldy’s book, “Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery and Korn,” I readied myself for the rollercoaster ride of another clichéd bad-boy of rock. The scenario has been played out often but I realized there was something very interesting going on with this particular band. A few years prior to Fieldy, the lead guitarist of Korn, Brian “Head” Welch, became a Christian and quit the band. Fieldy, who was notorious for his destructive and dysfunctional behavior, was now claiming his own conversion but chose a different path and decided to remain with Korn. I checked my judgment at the door and dove into his book, eager to see God’s revelation and how this rocker found redemption and restoration through his faith in Jesus Christ.

On the back cover of the book is a poignant quote about Fieldy’s view on life.

“We all have two dogs that live inside each of us that are at war with our soul. One is good and the other is evil. Which one will win the war? Whichever one you feed. Which one do you feed?”

For most of his life, there was no question which dog Fieldy nurtured. From a young age, his life was filled with dysfunction. Although he idolized and loved his father, who was also a musician, his dad would become a different person after a night of drinking, partying and drugs. Violent outbursts between his parents became the pattern and, for Fieldy, this type of life was his own twisted view of normality. His father’s addictions and womanizing led to a divorce that crushed Fieldy to the core and would serve to create the thick skin that would protect him from ever becoming emotionally vulnerable again – especially to women. Angry, rebellious and driven, Fieldy took up the bass guitar and became relentless in his pursuit of becoming a rock star. Never denying himself his whims he began stealing to supply his drugs of choice: alcohol, speed and food. After high school he moved to L.A. with bandmates Brian “Head” Welch, David Sylveria and James “Munky” Shaffer to be at the center of the music scene. The early years were lean and, at one point, Fieldy became a drug dealer to make ends meet. When his supplier was murdered, he saw that as his own fate and quit the business. The years of struggling and chasing the dream, however, took their toll on Fieldy and heightened his existing anxiety disorder. Fieldy began self medicating with depressants such as Xanax to calm his nerves, all the while continuing to carry on his drinking and partying ways waiting for success to come knocking on his door.

Everything fell into place when Jonathan Davis joined the band as their new lead singer in 1993. Creating a new musical genre combining alternative and metal they immediately garnered a following and the attention of the industry. Korn exploded onto the music scene and rose to the top of charts becoming an international multi-platinum nu metal phenomenon. Fieldy now had “got the life.” With his new notoriety and fame he developed the following list of rules in which to “govern” it.

Old Fieldy’s Rules:
1. No morals necessary
2. Responsibility for any act not required
3. No act was wrong or immoral
4. Nothing was out of bounds
5. Faith in a higher being nonexistent
6. The world revolved around me
7. The more women, drugs and booze, the better

His depiction of his life in those days is told with a gritty and raw honesty. Puffed up with pride and anger he became a 24/7 addict. Although he was married twice, he held women with no regard or respect. After concerts his bus would be freshly stocked with women only for him to use them quickly for sex and literally thrown them off the bus like used garbage. He became a mean and violent tempered jerk and all his relationships suffered because of it, especially the ones with his band mates. He wrangled with sleepless nights, intoxicating himself as a measure to quiet the inner demons that taunted him and pointed to his guilty life. One horrific evening, he came close to almost killing his girlfriend Dena and could not even remember the details of it. He had little relationship with his two young daughters. He was so wasted he would scrounge around hotel hallways eating the leftovers out of other people’s room service trays. His body, so devastated by years of abuse, he could no longer control his bodily functions and would wet himself several times a day. Fieldy may have been the master of the rock world but he was no longer the master of his life. The wide road he chose of the fast paced lifestyle promised him endless fun and insulation from pain but that road, as the Bible is quick to point out, is the one that leads to death - and Fieldy knew it. It took a tragic turn of events before he would wake up and realized he was feeding the wrong dog.

When his father became ill with cancer, Fieldy was convinced all his money and power could save his “superhero.” Becoming a Christian eighteen years prior had made a remarkable difference in his dad’s life. There were times he would attempt to talk to Fieldy about his faith but could see that it was pushing him away. Instead his dad chose not to judge him but to continue to love him unconditionally. He would tell him, “Son, there’s only one gift in this world that never fails…and that’s love.” He never forgot those words. Fieldy was with his dad every day at the end. When he took his last breath he was devastated. Through the tears, his step-mom Mindi turned to him and said, “There’s one thing your dad wanted more than anything else in this world, Reggie. And that was for you to accept Jesus Christ into your heart.” Mindi prayed with him but he didn’t understand what the words meant. Those words, however, touched his heart and began to change his life in ways he could never have imagined. “In his death,” says Fieldy,” he gave me the most amazing gift a father could leave to his son. He opened my eyes.”

From that time on Fieldy no longer had a desire to drink and do drugs. He threw all his pot down the toilet. He prayed to God to help him clean up his life and started to read the Bible every day. Miraculously, after twenty years of filling his mind and body with toxins 24/7, he did not have withdrawal symptoms. After sobering up he began dealing with all the guilt and fall out from his bad behavior. He apologized and begged forgiveness from everyone. In the book he even wrote letters of apology to his band mates. Most important was seeking the forgiveness of the one woman he had grown to love, his girlfriend Dena. Despite their turbulent past, their relationship began anew and they wed a year later. God blessed their union that night with a baby boy they named Israel. Unlike “Head,” Fieldy decided to continue on with Korn. He feels called to stay with the band and impact others through the example of his own changed life. Like his father he chooses to love and accepts people where they are at. “When you’re living a real life full of unconditional love and peace, people will want what you have. You don’t have to go to them and say, “Do you know what you need?” It doesn’t work that way…no one wants to be told what to do.” Clearly God is lifting up men such as Fieldy and Head to minister to a new audience that might not otherwise seek Him; men who are familiar with their world and grapple with the same vices. With a testimony as strong as his, he will no doubt have an impact on the music industry and legions of fans. One of those fans summed up his book best. “It is an awesome chronicle of Fieldy’s journey from the emptiness of ‘having everything he could ever want’ to having the ‘One’ who gives everything…what a gift this man and his story is to the metal world.”

Published in The Good News of South Florida, August 2011
www.Goodnewsfl.org